Novel 160-GHz wavelength converter based on a SOA and a long period grating

The proposed converter is based on cross-phase modulation (XPM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The predominantly phase-encoded signal at the SOA output is converted to a purely amplitude-modulated signal using a long period grating. First, we design the converter in terms of power conversion efficiency and pulse pedestal suppression. Subsequent analysis for the delayed-interference signal-wavelength converter (DISC) revealed that our device offers 5 dB higher power conversion efficiency and gives shorter pulses at the converter output. In the proof-of-principle experiment, good agreement with the theoretical predictions is obtained.